Fortnite gets demmand by SAG-AFTRA for using AI voice in their last update
Fortnite's latest update brings the iconic Darth Vader to life, using artificial intelligence technology to interact with players.
The latest Fortnite update brings an iconic character to life. Star Wars' Darth Vader, the main villain of the George Lucas franchise, was added using new AI technology. Vader appears in the game and interacts with players, recognizing their skins and even communicating through an audio-chat function.
However, this has caused problems for Epic Games, the company behind the game. The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is demanding Llama Productions, the firm behind Fortnite, for cloning James Earl Jones's voice without consulting them.
Why did SAG-AFTRA demand Fortnite?
Through a statement on their website, SAG-AFTRA announced that they filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Llama Productions. They argue that the company replaced the work of human performers with AI technology. According to them, the video game company must consult with them before implementing such technology.
James Earl Jones died last September. He was also known for being the voice of Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King and worked with Eddie Murphy in Coming to America as King Jaffe Joffer. However, his role in Star Wars is undoubtedly his most memorable. Jones remained involved in the franchise, lending his voice in the most recent productions.
James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Dart Vader, died on September last year (Photo: AFP News)
The dark side of Vader in Fortnite
The SAG-AFTRA demand is not the only problem Fortnite faces with Darth Vader’s AI. The character has a chatbox program that allows players to talk to him and even join him with the rest of the party. However, the community began to teach the AI inappropriate behaviors.
Within a few hours, Vader learned to say insults, swear words, racist phrases, and even death threats. Knowing that the main player base of Fortnite is composed mainly of children, Epic Games quickly shut down the character and rebooted him to eliminate that vocabulary from his knowledge. However, Epic said they will be stricter with players who teach Vader that vocabulary again.
